Assessment of life cycle environmental and economic sustainability of kidney care services: A case study of British Columbia

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human health in the 21st century, with approximately one in four worldwide, attributable to environmental factors (1). Ironically, healthcare itself is responsible for 5% of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, equivalent to airplane travel (2). Within healthcare, kidney care services have substantial environmental impacts compared to other medical treatments. These services include non-dialysis care, dialysis treatments, and transplantation. Environmental impact studies of kidney care are in its infancy, and specifically, there have been no studies evaluating the impact of kidney care in Canada. This study will be the first life cycle assessment of therapies for kidney disease in BC. This will provide important information that will guide data driven decisions on sustainability, optimal patient outcomes and cost effectiveness.

Faculty Supervisor:

Tasleem Rajan;Rehan Sadiq;Kasun Hewage;Tasleem Rajan

Student:

Partner:

Vancouver Coastal Health;Vancouver Island Health Authority (Victoria, BC);Interior Health Authority

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: